The Victorinox Farmer is a very popular 93mm Alox scaled Swiss Army Knife. It upgrades the classic historical Pioneer, with the addition of a wood saw. Some people comment that the extra width of this model make it more comfortable to hold compared to two-layer models, such as the Pioneer.

The Farmer, along with the Pioner, has been produced in many, many different colours, directly by Victorinox, and also for dealers. See Variations and image below.

The Original 'Old Cross' Farmer

Layer Tools

• Large blade
• Reamer
• Wood saw
• Can-opener / Small flat/Phillips screwdriver
• Cap-lifter / Large screwdriver
• Keyring attachment

Scales

Usually silver Alox, but also many other colours - see below.
Large special runs of red and blue Alox were made in 2007 and may have been repeated once or more.

History

Introduced in 1957 as model number 2224, and using the ELINOX tang stamp until 1975 when it was stamped as a Victorinox model. The original Farmer had red Alox scales and the silver cross emblem ('old cross') instead of the current Victorinox shield logo. Some of these early models have brass liners, and/or keyring spacers. Older Farmers with silver Alox scales and the silver Swiss cross were less common than their red Alox counterparts.
The Victorinox model numbering system changed in 1985 to the product codes we are familiar with today (e.g. 0.8241.20). The silver Alox Farmer with the Victorinox shield (0.8241.26) started production in the year 2000.

In 2010 a relatively high number of special Alox runs were made for a few different parties based in Switzerland (their exact relationship to Victorinox was unknown). Many of these special runs were of the Farmer model (see Variations). In 2011 Victorinox continued to produce a number of limited number special runs of the Farmer model for the collectors' market.

Variations

1. The VSAKCS annual model for 2005 was a Farmer with copper Alox scales.
2. Red Farmers were produced from time to time, and the supply with the current Victorinox shield was high in 2008 and 2009. The availability in 2011 was quite limited, but slightly more than the blue ones.
3. Blue alox scales were made in a run for QVC in 2006 and were still available in 2009, but availability was significantly less in 2010. The availability in 2011 was very limited, with small numbers occasionally appearing on auction sites. There may have been additional runs in 2008 and/or 2009, as many of these were supplied in gift packages with a Victorinox Alox flashlight.
4. US dealer Swiss Bianco (+B) 2009/2010 variations: Victorinox produced a number of special short-order runs in various colors for Swiss Bianco. These versions have the Victorinox Shield emblem in one color that matches the scales. These are known to have been produced in gold/yellow, orange, purple, brown, camo, and special Swiss Bianco 'Splash' anodizing. Some of these were produced with older Alox advertising Swiss cross scales. These scales have the plain cross rather than the shield and the smooth printing/engraving panel on the top scale.
5. In 2009 and 2010 Victorinox produced a number of Firesteel Farmers, in different colored Alox scales, for the US dealer Swiss Bianco. The initial 2009 run was sold with a piece of flint rock and Fungus firestarter material. In 2010 the knives were sold without the extra fire starting accessories. While this variation is named a Firesteel SAK, it included a steel striker on the back (same as the Feuerschlagmesser), and not a ferro rod which is now commonly referred to as a firesteel. This was a variation on the original Soldier Firesteel SAK/Feuerschlagmesser - See Variations section.
6. The black anodized Farmer was first produced in August 2010 for Swiss Bianco. The first run was reported to be only twenty-five knives. Unlike many of the special Swiss Bianco runs in the past, this model includes the standard silver shield rather the single scale colored version. In October/November 2010 a second run of roughly sixty-five knives was made for Swiss Bianco, these haveswissbianco.com laser etched on the main blade. Victorinox has since manufactured black Farmers (2011) for other dealer/distributors in several regions, these have blades without etching.
7. In 2010 a relatively high number of special Alox runs were made for a few different parties (exact relationship to Victorinox unknown) based in Switzerland. Many of these special runs started with a very limited runs of orange and purple/violet Alox. The run was reported to be less than thirty units for the orange, and thirty-seven for the purple. These knives can be distinguished from earlier limited SwissBianco runs, with similar colors, by the Victorinox shield which has the standard silver outline and silver cross. The purple/violet color from this run is also a much lighter shade than the +B runs, violet is probably the most accurate colour name for this run. These were followed in June by a limited run of dark green anodized knives. This color is not known to have previously been used for a Farmer model or any current 93mm Alox model. In the past some advertising knives have been manufactured in green Alox, but possibly not this dark shade. The color appears darker than the hunter green Cellidor scales or the hunter green Cadet manufactured for US Target stores. In July a limited run of grey knives followed. This also had not been previously used on a 93mm model.
8. The 2011 Route 66 Black Farmer, featuring old style black anodized advertising scales with the old silver cross, and a Route 66 logo imprinted in the panel on the top scale. Only fifty knives were made, and the main blade is stamped with its individual unit number from the series run 50/n.
9. 2011 red anodized model featuring a custom shade of red that is darker than the standard Victorinox red anodizing. Limited to only fifty knives, and featured a series serial number stamped main blade.
10. The orange Alox Thailand 2499 Commemorative was produced in November 2011 for an online-forum in Thailand. The blade is etched with three different elements, a Dharmachakra (wheel of law) illustration, the text 2499 ในหลวงทรงผนวช, followed by an illustration of King Rama IX. The Thai sentence ในหลวงทรงผนวช means His Majesty became a buddhist monk. The engraving/printing panel on the bottom scale of the knife contains ๒๔๙๙ which is the Buddhist calendar year 2499 in Thai. This is a limited edition of fifty knives, and the back of the blade is stamped with 2011 and an individual series number 50/n.
11. 2012 February black Alox with red shield and no keyring collector's model. It is uncommon to have the red shield background on any Alox knives other than with silver or red anodizing. The red shield background with the black anodizing creates a nice contrast that highlights the shield more than just the regular silver outline. Limited to fifty pieces, numbered and dated, the engraving on this model runs parallel to the length of the blade, and appears on the reverse of the blade. In January 2012 a Pioneer model was created in the same style.
12. The sunset orange handled model was produced in small quantity in August 2012 for Swiss Bianco. This shade of orange is not known to have been used before, but several other models were produced at the same time with this new color.
13. A Swiss Bianco exclusive copper color anodized version was produced in January 2013. This edition features a Victorinox shield with a red background, and a copper outline. Several other models were produced at the same time in copper color with red shield. While not strictly limited, this special run was for only approximately 200 knives.
14. A special numbered run of fifty olive green Farmers was produced in February 2013. The colour is brighter than the olive-drab anodizing previously used on some other Alox models, and this is the first time this colour is known to be used on a 93mm Alox model. Each knife is engraved on the blade n/50 with its individual number and the year 2013.
15. A special numbered run of fifty brown Farmers without keyrings was produced in April 2013. Each knife is engraved on the reverse of the blade with its number in the series n/50 and the year 2013.
16. In 2015 Victorinox produced a silver Alox Farmer with a serrated blade, for the dealer Swiss Bianco.
17. In 2015 Victorinox produced 100 Farmers at the request of the municipality of Winterthur with bicolor scales of red and silver, the city's colours. The blade was was inscribed 2015, nnn/100, and the engraving panel with Winterthur with a tiny Swiss cross at the top.

Different Coloured Farmers

Physical Specifications

Length: 93mm
Width: 14mm
Weight: 86g / 3oz

Identifiers

• 0.8241.26: Current regular silver Alox model
• 0.8241.20: Original model, red with silver Swiss cross emblem.
• 0.8241.20R4: Red, year 200n special runs, with the Victorinox shield
• 0.8241.22R4: Blue, year 200n special runs, with the Victorinox shield

US Model Numbers:

• 57964: Silver with Victorinox shield
• 57965: Red with Victorinox shield
• 57966: Blue with Victorinox shield

Related Models

• Midshipman - A marlinspike instead of the reamer
• First Mate - A marlinspike instead of the reamer; a small pruner blade instead of the can-opener
• Harvester - The can-opener is replaced with a small pruning blade; no keyring attachment
• Pioneer X - Replaces the wood saw with scissors
• Farmer X- Adds scissors
• Pioneer - One layer thinner, no saw
• Soldier 1961 - One layer thinner, no saw, no keyring attachment
• Bushcrafter - A special run model: two layers, no openers
• Camper - A similar 91mm three-layer Cellidor model with a wood saw